Steam-trap.



F. A. LITTLEFIELD.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6, 1908. 1 150 778. Patented Au 17,1915. 2 SHEETS SHEET 1. l6 l /6 I 2 66 5 84 66 i 45 \QI/fi 92 3 62 6 L I! /4 /2 I j m 1| Fzg \\ witnesses: Inventor:

AMWQW- Fran/ufiliiilefield aura FRANK A. LITTLEFIELD, OF NASHUA, NEVT HAMPSHIRE, ASSTGNOR .TO NASHUA 'MACHINE COMPANY, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

STEAM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentigd Aug, 1'? 1915,

Application filed January 6, 1908. Serial No. 409,388.

Improvement in Steam-Traps, of which the. following description, in connection wlth the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention pertains to steam traps and the like; and consists in various features of construction and operation which will appear in the course of the succeeding descr ption and will be defined in the appended claims. A

The character of the invention may be best understood by reference to one practicable embodiment shown, for purposes of illustration, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section on substantially a diametrical plane of a cylindrical receiver; Fig. 2, a vertical detail section on a line 22 of Fig. 1; and Figs. 3, 4: and 5, diagrammatic views corresponding to ig. 1 and showing the parts in different posltions of operation.

Referring to Fig. 1, the specific steam trap 7 there disclosed has a cylindrical tank or receiver 10, provided with an inlet 11 and an outlet 12. If desired check valves 13 and 14:, of any practicable type, may be provided in connection with the inlet and outlet, respectively.

The receiver 10 has preferably a removable lid 15, its periphery being preferably concaved on the lower side, as by having an inner, frusto-conical surface, to fit on the correspondingly shaped upper portion of the receiver 10. In order to make a steam tight joint a packing ring 16 is countersunk in one or the other of the lid 15 or the upper edge of the receiver 10. The lid is tightly closed by bolts 17 or the like which, when screwed down, force the mating frustoconical surfaces of lid and receiver, with the interposed packing, into tight wedging engagement to provide azsubstantially perfect closure.

In the operation of the specific construction shown, the inlet 11 admits Water which accumulates in the receiver 10, and after reaching a certain. depth is forced out by the introduction of live steam entering fulcrumed at 33 to the the tail of the lever 32. said peripheral recess supply a valve openthrough a port 20. The steam supply may be controlled by mechanism about to be described which will exemplify several features of the invention in their conjoint operation.

A source of live steam is connected by a pipe 22 with a valve boX 2 1-, having a disk valve 26 mounted upon a stem 28. Preferably, the upper surface of the valve 26 is exposed to the live steam and subjected to its pressure by being located in a dome 30 communicating directly with the pipe 22.

When the valve is open, as illustrated in Figs. d and 5, steam passes from the pipe along the course indicated by the arrows and passes into the interior of the receiver 10 through the port 20. The valve stem 28 is appropriately formed to supply a seat for the ball end of a valve controlling lever 32, valve casting and having its tail projected into the interior of the receiver.

When the valve is closed it ma be maintained in that position (until forcibly opened) either wholly or in part by the pressure of the live steam in the valve box 2st.

A stationary stud shaft a0 is threaded into a Wall of the receiver 10 in the manner indicated in Fig. Loosely ournaled on the shaft 40 is a valve controlling disk 42 having a peripheral recess into which projects The extremities of ing shoulder i l and a valve closingshoulder 45. Thedisk a2 has extending through it from side to side a slot do, in which rides an anti-friction roller 18 from which a weight is suspended by two arms 52, 52 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Vlhen the specific devices stand in the position shown in Fig. l the 'axis'of the roller 18 stands in the same vertical line with the axis of the shaft 4:0, being assisted in maintaining this position by the arms 52 abutting against adjacent portions of the sleeved hub ofthe disk 42. By

this arrangement the disk is held in equilibrium, though unstably. A slight move ment of the disk 42 (contraclockwise in Fig. 1) throws the roll 18 out of vertical alinement with the shaft ll) and thereby gives a certainleverage to the weight 50 by reason of which the latter tends to rotate the disk 42 farther. So long, however, as the disk remains undisturbed in the position shown in Fig. 1, the roll a8 remains vertically alined with the shaft 40 and holds the valve.

closing shoulder 45 against the under side of the lever As shown, the slot 46 preferably inclines downwardly toward the right in Fig. 1 sothat the roll/48 tends to seat securely in the right hand end of the slot.

Loosely fulcrumed on the shaft 40 is a valve governing member '56, which may be' merely an arm; Pivoted to the lower end of the member 56 is the stem 58 of a fioatable counterbalance weight 60. As presently described, the valve governing member 56 plays between a valve opening lug 62 and a valve closing lug 63, both fixed upon and projecting laterally from the valve controlling disk 48. V

In theoperation of the above described mechanism, water enters the receiver through the inlet 11 and accumulates therein.

While the counterbalance weight 60 is preferably heavy (and not a mere float in the common acceptation of the term) it is,nevertheless, fioatable; and as the depth of water in thereceiver increases the weight 60 gradually rises, rocking the valve governing member 56 about the shaft 40-,but without disturbing the disk 42. Finally, however, the water reaches the depth at which it is desired to admit live steam to force the water out; and thereupon the valve governing member 56 contacts with the valve opening lug 62, in the position indicated'in ig.-

3, and, with the farther ascent of the weight 7 60 moves the lug 62 and disk 42 contraclockwise in Fig. 1. This throws the roll 48 out of vertical alinement with the shaft 40 and gives the weight, a leverage whereby the latter may serve itself as a motor to turn the disk. Thus while the governing mem ber 56 initiates the movement of the disk 42 this movement may thereafter be actuated by the weight 50 alone. As the disk 42 rotates the major axis of the slot 46 presently reaches a horizontal position and then begins to incline downwardly toward the left, thereby constituting the slot an inclined track down which the roller 48 may move under'the influence of the weight 50. The roller 48 does, in fact, so move and thereby the radial distance of the axis of roller 48 from that of the shaft 40 is considerably increased, and the leverage by which the weight 50 acts upon the disk 42 is augmented. Also valve 26 is limited by the valve cap 66 abut- .ting against the top of the dome 30. At this stage of the operation the partsoccupy the positions shown in Fig. 4. The full weight 7 and leverage of theweight 50 is efiective to open the valve and holdit open.

The pressure. of the admitted live steam expelsthe accumulated water through the outlet 12, permitting the weight 60 to descend,starting from-the position shown in Fig. 4. During this descent the valve governing member 56 engages the valve closing lug 63 and rocks the disk 42 clockwise in Fig.- 1. As illustrated, the weight 60 has preferably a favorable leverage over the 7 lug 63 I (as for example substantially two to one as shown) which givesthe weight 60 a leverage of substantially two to one to lift the weight 50 then depending from theroller 48 in the position shown inFig. 4. The weight 60 is sufficiently heavy'to rotate the disk 42 and lift the weight 50., During this rotation the slot 46 presently reaches the position shown inFi 5 in which the major axis of the slot inclines downwardly toward the right so that the-slot supplies an inclined track down which the roll 48 is -moved rapidly bythe weight 50. The roll 48 impinges against the right hand end of the slot 46 (Fig. 5)Qand with its developed momentum completes the clockwise rotation of the disk 42 by moving it rapidly around until'the arms 52 supporting the weight 7 strike against the sleeves of disk 42, leaving the roller 48 in vertical alinement with the shaft 40. Preferably'this final, rapid clockwisemovement ofthe disk 42 takes placeas the valve closing shoulder45 strikes the lever 32; and thereby the latter may be quickly rocked to close the valve.

The closing of the valve leaves consider able live steam within the receiver 10 3- and some provision is preferably made for relieving the pressure therein, in order to facilitate the admission of more water at the inlet 11. V a

The stud shaft 40 which supports the disk 42 (Fig. 2) has a central chamber 70 extending through the shaft to the'exterior of the receiver, and has a radial vent 72. \Vhen the valve is closed and the disk 42 stands in the position of Figs. 1 and 2 the .vent 72 communicates with an-aperture 73 in the hubof the disk 42, thereby permitting 7 communication between the interior of the receiver 10, the chamber 70 and the outside air. Thus whenever the valve isclosed an escapement is afforded through the" chamber 70. When, however, the disk 42 has rotated slightly its hub covers the vent '72 and closes it, thereby cutting off communication with the chamber 70 and preventing the escape of live steam during all the time that the valve 26isopen.'v

A steam trap embodying this invention desired.

may be used in various different connections; and in some cases it is desirable to heat the accumulated water in the receiver to a high temperature beforedischarging it. This is especially desirablewhen the trap is used for feeding water to a boiler, when it is desirable to heat the water in the trap as nearly as practicable to boiling temper The valve construction shownin the draw-- ings embodles features of advantage particularly desirable in connection with steam traps. The dome30 may bereadily removable by having it thread into a part of the valve casting; and by removing it ready access is had to the valve for removal and replacement of parts. The disk 26, constituting the valve proper is readilyremovable. It has a central aperture. through which the valve stem 28 projects, a flanged collar 82 on the stem 28 overlying the upper surface of the disk26; The collar 82 has athreaded shank which screws axially into the stem 28; and said collar is preferably integral with a lug 84 adapted to be engaged by a wrench. Preferably integral'withthedisk 26 is an upwardly projecting .rinr-86, internally threaded to receive the valve cap 66 which, when screwed down, overlies the upper surfaceof theholding collar SZ-and thereby completes the working connection between the stem 98 and the disk 26. The described arrangement permits ready removal and replacement of worn valve disks which may be effected by simply unscrewing and removingthe dome 30; unscrewingthe valve cap 66; and unscrewing the collar 82. These parts having been removed, the disk 26 may be withdrawn and replaced and the parts, returned to position.

A steam trap or the like embodying features of this invention may have many advantages which will appear to those skilled in the art. For example, the weight or its equivalent or substituted device may be enlarged or rendered more powerful to any practical degree and, as a result, the valve opening and closing movements may be.

actuated by a force as great as maybe Thus the valve controlling mechanism may be made to operate successfully against even the greatest steam pressure experienced in practice. In the specific mechanism disclosed the weight 50 may be enlarged to any practicable extent, and the only change thereby involved in the rest of themechanism is to make the counterbalance Weight correspondingly heavier, 2'. 6., sufficiently heavy when unsupported by water to lift through its favorable leverage the weight 50 in closing the valve. The buoyancy of the counterbalance weight 60 need not be materially changed to suit increased weight so long as the buoyant force thereof is sufiicient merely to initiate the contraclockwise rotation of the valve controlling disk, since this may be efiected independently of the weight of the Weight 50. It will be noted in the specific mechanism disclosed that the Weight 50 stands normally in operative position, 2'. 6., in position immediately tobegin its valve opening action. Thus the buoyant force of the counterbalance weight 60 need not at any time oppose the weight 50; and said buoyant force need be only sufficient to overcome the inertia of the valve controlling disk in order to throw the axis of the weight supporting roll outof vertical alinement with the axis of the disk. Considerable advantage may be derived 'from heating the water in the trap in the manner hereinbefore described.

- lVhen it is attempted to discharge cold water when a steam plant is started up afresh in the morning, cold water having accumulated in the system over night, a trap may act very slowly, as only once or twice in a minute; whereas, if the water be heated to a considerable temperature the trap may act, perhaps, three or four times a minute.

In the ordinary operation of the trap the parts may become so heated that the received water will be already warm when it reaches the trap and in such case the heating provision illustrated in the drawings would be of greatest benefit in initiating the work of the trap. Heating, as described, is also a benefit in that the frequently delivered bodies of water have no tendency to chill the water in the boiler to any material extent.

Various advantages other than expressly pointed out will be apparent.

It is to be understood that the specific disclosure is merely illustrative; and that the invention is by no means essentially limited thereto. 7

Various changes and modifications which will appear to those skilled in the art may which will be included nevertheless within the proper scope of the invention as it is defined in the subjoined claims.

Claims:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a valve; un

.be made in the devices described and shown,

scribed, the combination of a valve; a valve opening weight; means I to sustain sa1d* weight normally 1n operatlve position; and

' means movable with lost motion to initiate the operation of said weight without lifting 7 said weight.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combinatlon of a valve; a

valve opening weight, means supporting said weight normally in unstable equilib rium; and means movable independently of said support toward and into engagement therewith to move said'weight out of equilibrium to initiate its valve opening operation without lifting said weight. V

4., In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a valve motor means (as for example a weight)ffor-open' mg said valve; rotatable transmlsslon means intermediate said motor means and the valve, themotor means and transmission means being connected to stand normally on a dead center; and means to interrupt the dead center without lifting said weight to permit operation of said motor. means to open the valve.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a valve; motor means to open the valve; transmission means of pivotal link construction intermediate the motor means and valve; and means to move the transmission means to a dead center without lifting the motor means for closing the valve, and to interrupt said dead center for opening the valve.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a valve; motor means independently to imparting opening movement to the valve; and valve governing means to store up potential energy in the motor means upon closing the valve and to release saidenergy for opening the valve.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a valve; governing means therefor comprising a heavy counterbalance weight having comparatively slight buoyancy; and powerful valve controlling weight means, intermediate the governing means and valve and movedfrom a state of unstable equilibrium by the former.

8. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a valve, motor means for operating the same, and lever means between said motor'means and the valve, the operative connections between the motor means and the lever means being such as progressively to increase the leverage of to elongate the force arm of said lever means means to operate the same; lever means acted upon by the motor'means; supporting connections for elongatingtheforce arm of said lever means; and a-movalole part acted upon by the motor means through said lever means and given increased momentum for operating the valve;

1l-. In'an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a valve, motor means to operate the same, lever means acted upon by the motor means anda movable part actedrupon by the motor" means through said lever means'and'operatively connected to the valve and having support ing connections for and to the motor means in operation. r r 7 a 1 2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combinatlonof a valve motor means for operatingthe same ;-leverj means] having a valve operatingshoulder; linlr means connecting the motor means and lever means, andstandingnormally at a dead center with the latter; and means to interrupt said dead center to permit action of the motor means without lifting the motor means. r

13. In an apparatus of the character de-i scribed, the combination with a valve, valve controlling'means therefor, motor means to operate the valve controlling means, and a connection between the motor means and the valve controlling means movable along the face of the latter for effecting increased and diminished leverage.

14. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a'valve; motor means to operate the same; supporting connections for increasingthe leverage through which the motor means operatesthe valve; and power augmenting means having a leverage connection to'said motor means andl j operatively connected to the valve to commumcate the action of the motor means with said increased leverage and additionally increased moment, to said valve.

15. In an apparatus of the character de- 1 scribed, the combination of a valve; pivoted valve controlling means; motor means to operate the valve controlling means; and a connection between the motor means and pivoted valve controlling means movable to- 189" so i Ward and from the pivot of the latter for increased and diminished leverage.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a valve; a valve controlling disk having a valve opening and a valve closing shoulder connected thereto; motor means to hold said disk normally stationary in a state of unstable equilibrium and to operate it for opening and closing 10 the valve; and means to initiate movement control said port; a stem separably connected to the valve; housing to inclose the 40 valve removable to permit access thereto; and valve controlling means to control admission of steam to the receiver connected to the said valve stem.

20. In an apparatus of the character de- 45 scribed, the combination of a valve, governing means therefor comprising a heavy counterbalance Weight havlng comparatlvely am [illllllllilll 

